Thursday, 3 December 2015

TweetI don’t doubt
the importance of the proposed Metro system for Cardiff and district.And I can understand why its proponents and
supporters are getting increasingly excited about the possibility of it coming
to fruition.But there is such a thing
as hype.

The story on the subject in Monday’s Western
Mail was a case in point – the printed version was headlined with the claim
that it would be a “catalyst for transformation of Wales”.It is, I suppose, possible that for some
people Wales really is just that area around Cardiff bounded by Merthyr and
Bridgend, but surely the First Minister should know better than to claim that
an investment heavily geared to the needs of Cardiff and its hinterland can
really transform “the economic and social
prospects of … the country as a whole”?

Anyone making
such a bold claim needs to be able to demonstrate exactly how putting such a
high proportion of Wales’ transport investment into one corner of the country
really delivers benefits to the rest.It’s not that I doubt the value of transport infrastructure to those who
benefit from it, but from a bit further west we’ve just heard that the
electrification of the railway line to Swansea is to be delayed, and
electrification even further west than that hasn’t even made it onto the agenda
yet.

One of the
driving forces behind demands for devolution to Wales has long been the
perception that successive UK governments, of both colours, have favoured and
prioritized investment in the South-east to the detriment of the rest of the
UK.Disappointment is an inadequate word
to describe my reaction to seeing the same attitude becoming increasingly
prevalent in Wales.